Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-06-28
INA SPANISH CEMETERY
Inc Free and Easy Way In which
spaniards Dispose of the Dead.

iuheiaIs IN cpaln are conducted in
manner which is in the highest degree
original. says writer in the London
heJeree- When you die you are got rid
Of as soon as possible. The Spaniards
nave the same horror OF death sur
roundings as italians, but they go a
great deal further. AS quickly as pos
sibie-sometimes within an hour-the
body Is placed within an elaborate
coffin made of metal and painted to
Initiate marble. Some of these ..cask-
cts are smothered in gilt orname Is
OF a most elaborate character. All
sizes are kept ready at the great fune-
raj establishments. The collins open
lengthwise. The lid is on hinges and
Is locked with key. The poorer
people are buried in wooden collins.
covered with various desings in color
ed ribbons. Children's coffin are made
IN white and blue, and are decorated
like bonbon box. Collins of this de-
scrlptlon are sold almost anywhere in
ihe south. You see them hanging up
inside the shops by dozens.
went over the premises of one of
the biggest undertaking concerns in
Spain. 1t is public company and is
called la Funeraria." l never saw
such magnificence in my life. Some
OF the funeral cars are built in the style
OF the great gilt and glass cars which
/ ngure IN circus procession through a
country town. The drivers and foot
men are dressed in gorgeous liyeries
that makes you blink to look at them.
Some OF the liveres that was shown
cost over 81 600 each. These post yely
blazed with gold. A grand first class
funeral with retinue of footmen and
officials is dazzling pageant.
AS rule the corpse, even when so
magnificently conducted to lis last
home, is unattended by any relatives.
Spanlards finish with their dead, as a
rule. when the church ceremony is over.
Few corpses are accompanied to the
cemetry, except by the undertaken s
men. But in ordinary cases the coffin
is placed in yellow open car and driv-
en- up to the cemetry by a gentleman in
short jacket and peaked cap. The
driver smokes his cigarette and cracks
his whip as he huns his favorite tune.
The ridiculous always lives next door
to the sublime. The grotesque and the
horrible are first cousins.
l will describe two that l witnessed
in one day at the great cemetery at
Seville. Four little barefooted BOYS AZ
rive at the cemetery gates. Between
them they carry little blue and white
coffin. They jog along, chatting and
laughing, up the long avenue of trees.
Presently they see something which,
attracts their attenton-a bird in a
tree. They pick up stones and begin
to throw at the bird. In the process
they quarrel about something, and two
Of the boys have fight. In the mean
time the coffin lies in the roadway.
walk up to IT, and through the glass
let into the lid | see the dead child ,
face. 1t has been dead perhaps twelve
hours. so the features are unchanoe,
and it appears to BE- calmly sieepin :.
Several people pass me; no one take.
any notice OF the coffin in tie road.
One old gentleman nearly tumbles owe,
t and swears. 1t is evidently nothiu.
unusual.
Presently these ragged bows have m
ranged their little difference, rntrra
and pick up the coffin. Two OF thea
have lighted cigarettes. They carr.
their burden I CHIT across the cemetery
to little house, where two or tiirrt
men with brass numbers on their can
are smoking cigarettes. Here they
show a paper, and one of the men
picking up spade, tells the hoy,
to follow him. OF they go, jogging til,
coffin now this way now that, aul
follow them.
We come to long line of br;cs
vaults. Some are empt some IL,
filled up to the top with what preSnm,
to be mold. the gravc-digeer turn
over the loose earth with hi, spade, an
strikes a coffin here and there. 1t i
too full He moves on to anoih.l
bricked square. pushes his spade in
and says there is just room. He digs
little hole and lays the coffin flush witt
the top of the brick work. Then h,
throws a few spadetus of earth from ;
mound close by, and the ceremon,
is over. There are thousands of thes,
bricked squares in he cemetery. ape
each contains a score of coiiins There
is no stone over the top. only the loos.
brown earth. Some of them are so fiji!
that the earth has to be piled up t.
cover the coffin, and thus the coffin l.
actually above ground.
The next funeral arrived as | VA
leaving the cemetery. A car, drive,
by Il man smoking a cigarette, cams
up. 1t was followed by cab, from
which al GIFTED an old gentleman, ais,
smoking cigarette. The car pulle,
up at the gate of the "depostory,"
little house III the grounds arranged fo
the reception of people who have die,
too late to be buried that day. Th,
guardian of the house, cigarette il
mouth, filings open the doors, an,
speaks to the gentleman, and then cal
for somebody to come. A man with
cigarette in his mouth now approaches
He and the car-driver lift out the coilii
and carry it into the house, and lar j
OH the trestles. They then light
candle at the head and foot. and CONT
out and shut the door. OFF drives tn,
car, the man lighting another cigarct
tie, and the old gentleman to whom In
corpse belongs strolls across the Gem
etery with the grave-digrer TO choos
''his place. The grave-digger turn
up little earth in one brick squar,.
aud then in another TOO full. " say
the old gentleman. putting his cigarette
He goes from square TO square AM
pokes at the earth with his cane. 4
last he settles ON 4 square which j
only half full THAT will do - Ia